Don't Toss Potato Peels - They're A Secret Weapon For Your Cookware - Tasting Table

"When rubbed against metal, the fine starches and trace oxalic acid in potato skin act like a gentle, natural scouring agent. The starch granules loosen cooked-on residue, and the oxalic acid lifts gunk and tarnish. Potato peels used like this are abrasive enough to revive a dull, workhorse carbon steel pan or a scorched pot, without the scratches that a Brillo pad might leave behind."

"Potato skins are free if you're already making one of these 10 cheesy potato recipes. In the early and mid-20th century, housekeeping manuals were full of similar penny-pinching, no-waste ingenuity. Bread crusts were used to clean wallpaper, coffee grounds to scrub stubborn pan stains, vinegar and salt or baking soda to sparkle up brass. A day of polishing silver or darning socks in the evening was the routine of ordinary life."

"The oxalic acid in potato skins is the same compound found in many plants, like rhubarb and spinach. Plants produce it as a defense against predators, and if you eat too much of it, oxalic acid can build up and cause kidney stones. The compound is so formidable that it can dissolve mineral buildup and surface oxidation, which is exactly what happens when your leftover potato peels meet the pan."

Potato peels clean metal cookware because fine starch granules loosen cooked-on residue while trace oxalic acid lifts gunk and tarnish. The technique cleans without the scratches of harsh scouring pads and can revive carbon steel, cast iron, copper, and scorched pots. Traditional housekeeping reused food scraps—bread crusts, coffee grounds, vinegar, salt, or baking soda—to clean household items. Oxalic acid occurs in plants like rhubarb and spinach and dissolves mineral buildup and surface oxidation. Excessive dietary oxalic acid can contribute to kidney stones. Caring for well-made cookware with low-cost methods preserves durable kitchen tools.

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